Ted DiBiase Jr. has been found not guilty in the multi-million dollar Mississippi welfare scandal.
The former WWE Superstar’s alleged misspending came to light following a federal indictment that accused him of fraudulently obtaining millions in welfare funds and using the money for personal gain.
According to WCSOC-TV, a jury on Friday found him not guilty on multiple charges, including conspiracy, wire fraud, theft, and money laundering.
In 2020, former Mississippi Department of Human Services director John Davis was indicted on fraud and embezzlement charges alongside several others, including Ted DiBiase Jr.’s brother and former pro wrestler, Brett DiBiase.
Davis allegedly directed federal funds to two nonprofits, which then issued “sham contracts” to various individuals and organizations, including companies owned by DiBiase Jr., for social services that were never provided.
Davis, several nonprofit executives, and Brett DiBiase have all pleaded guilty to charges related to the scheme.
According to the indictment, those companies received more than $2 million in contracts for services such as leadership outreach, an emergency food assistance assessment, and programs for “inner-city youth.”
The Mississippi State Auditor later reported that more than $77 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds were misspent. Along with The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), TANF accounted for a significant portion of the funds involved.
Ted DiBiase Jr. reacts to welfare trial verdict
Talking to reporters, a visibly emotional DiBiase Jr. shared his thoughts on the verdict.
“They did an amazing job of portraying truth. And seven years of being slandered and made to be something that is completely false has about torn my family apart, but we’re strong. And I’ve had so many friends and so much family that have come around us, and I’m proud that we’ve walked through this. I’m so thankful that it’s over.”
Asked what was going through his mind when he heard the words “not guilty” thirteen times, the former WWE World Tag Team Champion said, “It still hasn’t sunk in. It’s just been so long that this cloud has lived over me. And I’m just grateful for it to be over, and I’m grateful that I get to go home to my children, and I will remain with them.”
Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre, the DiBiase brothers, and their father, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr., are among dozens of defendants named in a lawsuit filed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, which is seeking to recover more than $20 million in misspent funds. DiBiase Sr. is also involved in an ongoing defamation lawsuit against Mississippi State Auditor Shad White.
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